LB Devon Kennard
December 29, 2016
Q: Is part of the message, let’s get started right now and not wait until next week?
A: Yeah, definitely. I think that it is important that we get some momentum going into the playoffs and especially losing last week, we want to get this one and we know that in their minds it is a playoff game because for them to get into the playoffs, they have to beat us. So we know what to expect from them and we expect the intensity to be a little higher than it has been and it is going to be a good test for us.
Q: So you guys have to match that intensity?
A: Absolutely, and I think that is the exciting part. We don’t want to match it; we want to set the tempo.
Q: What did the speech from Casillas before practice mean to you guys?
A: I think it is just huge for us to have the opportunity to listen to guys that have been there before. Those are some of the leaders on our team, guys who have won, he has won two Super Bowls, so for him to take the time to address the team like that before a padded practice, I think it is important.
Q: What did you take out of it?
A: Just the importance of this moment. We have an opportunity. This is my third year and I haven’t had an opportunity to be in the playoffs and to have that opportunity now and taking the mindset to where the playoffs start this week, it is not next week and the momentum that we can get from this win when we know they are going to give their best shot because this is completely a playoff game for them, so it is exciting.
Q: You guys have said that in the past. The playoffs start now and throughout December you have been saying that. Now that you are in and it is right around the corner, does it make it more real?
A: Yeah, absolutely. A lot of teams are done playing after this week and we are not done playing. Obviously, the real playoff game is next week, but mentality wise for us to go in with a win and to get that first win would be huge for us.
Q: You are young guy who hasn’t experienced it before. Does it help getting a reminder from somebody who has been all the way through?
A: Yeah, for me being a younger guy, I follow the lead of the guys that have been there before. I know that I am going to bring my best effort and leave it all out there on the field every day, hopefully until February 5th. But it is the older guys that we all have to lean on because they have been there before and they know how to get it done.
Q: Spags says that this defense isn’t as good as it can be, so what do you want to clean up in this one game?
A: Everything. For me, it always starts with stopping the run. We want everyone to know that they are not going to just run the ball on us and be successful and then from there, tackling. We want to get better at tackling and coverage, putting pressure on the quarterback. We want to continue to peak and we don’t feel like we have played our best game and that is something that we have been talking about since Dallas – don’t let that game be our best game. We can do more and that is what we want to go on and show.
Q: Ben said to us yesterday that you were 7-1 at home and we know who the one loss is to and that it would be nice to go down there and return the favor.
A: Yeah, absolutely. We took pride at winning at home this year and they are the one team that stole one from us and as we go back and look at film, we didn’t play our best game, especially defensively, against them, and that has to put a little chip on our shoulder to where we want to make sure that they know they can’t just run up and down the field on us.
